SALUTE TO THE LADIES

you this is America at her most becoming this is America at peace old folks can again look forward to their papers without dread of news from tiny coral reefs that once rose up in the Pacific to distress our boys have taken up where they left off and our women are once more free to follow their peaceful pursuits with just a few interruptions rarely now two large flights of planes fly overhead and then when they do there is no cause for concern only the fascination of watching Swift patterns in the sky but some of these women are more than merely fascinated they are alert and thoughtful a few years ago many of these women at peace were a vital part of our war time earphone they learn the value of these strong silver wings they help build and maintain they learned how much the life and security of our nation depends on the strength of our efforts other women serve in our efforts they have seen close up the frightfulness of war in almost every corner of this world they learn the value of superior air power firsthand however all was not thrilled tragic there were rewarding times when valuable skills will earn times when enduring friendships would join times when nostalgic memories before that is what these peaceful wings we call them this young lady was an airline hostess and slow a graduate nurse before war flying was in her blood and she thought that her background my best qualify her as a flight nurse before you could say its civilian i was attending the air evacuation fool at bowman field kentucky these weren't real patients but application of the experience gained ears enabled us to evacuate sick and wounded soldiers from the battle zones with minimum losses we had to learn to take care of ourselves in the water in case of forced landing that see how to jump with a Mae West on and climb into a rubber raft just as uneasy as it looks also that our coveralls when inflated would keep us afloat when the training ride was behind it our daily pattern was pretty much the same in every theatre award up at 330am not pious beauty naps were post-war projects then powdered eggs and powdered milk that spells Chow not breakfast so the coffee was the real McCoy there were wounded to be tended to at camp before taking off for the front lines we're eagerly awaited supplies were unloaded and the plane cleaned and converted for the list wherever we went there were the six and the lead on the return flight we've checked the condition of our patients and keep a clinical chart of their reactions we always try to make the trip as cheerful as possible and despite the suffering usually succeeded then when we landed and has submitted the complete records of the wounded rest of the day with ours to do with as we please porter's weren't much but we brighten them up as best we could some of us would read souls or write others would be domestic the local smart that managed to smarten up and the pets and ears rounded up suitable local livestock no pig is this piggy the athletes have their claim to later we dawdle through dinner no hurry our time with our own till three-thirty the next morning that is sure week right that was part of being a good soldier but these nurses in the Philippines really had something to gripe about they were released after three trying years as prisoners of the jack for them the war in the Pacific was over they were headed home hopeful that leaves spent with relatives and friends would erase the bitter memories of their ordeal they received long overdue promotions Ponder's honors one the hard way but their skirts were high as the engine sang that sweetest songs home whatever the circumstances we shared one thing in common pride and being sliced nurses we were proud of our work proud of our heroine proud but among women at war none got closer to action this young lady to decided to see some action she joined the wax the airwaves over 40,000 of them served at hundreds of air bases in the United States and in 21 foreign countries the airport now you're talking at feels like this one we learned the skills we were soon to use opt where they counted most first it was rugged most of us thought we had kissed our schooldays a cheery goodbye and here we were saying hello we got so we weren't half bad either for a bunch of girls who used to think that snipping a hangnail was a major mechanical problem our primary function was to relief manpower for other duties but it was soon discovered that women could perform certain jobs better than men especially jobs requiring finger dexterity and patience things we've learned at home so let's not talk too much man-sized job stuff in the future it's a woman's world to even when there's a war going on general Ronald reviewed our outfit a few days before we shipped overseas our heart beat a little faster that day a few days later they were ticking like stopwatches where we were headed we didn't know but the rumor factory was bugging in hi it wasn't exactly a luxury cruise yet it seemed like one after the training we've been through in the state oh that was behind us now when so was a lot of water and what happened to the rumors well Hawaii was our destination and we were plenty please we were received in grand style at Hickam Field we put on a good show for them even though some of us were still rocking around on sea legs came ladawn and with a vengeance we soon learned why we were there and why they had been so glad to see us they found plenty of things for us to do not that we didn't have time off now and then that buglers blowing child call but not for me I never dreamt of picnicking at waikiki beach but and with a nice crowd of GIS to in the China Burma India theatre general Chennault was on hand to greet the early whack arrivals but from then on we didn't see much of the general he had his job we had ours and there were plenty of a salons between us I think you follow me the glamorous Orient we better go we got around to seeing in the flesh that distinguished looking gem wanted making chapatis pancakes to you I hardly think powers would go for this little model but she was kind of cute at that this character managed without models after all if the folks at home didn't have a piano to put under these shawls but it could always go out and buy one we managed to get in a little exercise as well exercise q in England fatigue marches kept us in tip-top shape living under field conditions was kind of rough some of the girls didn't take too kindly to this getting back to nature routine but the old standby stop griping you never had it so good would always silence the groomers relaxation was a cinch of course I can think of more thrilling pastimes in Chinese checkers but it did keep us off our aching feet air traffic was heavy over England and mobile direction finder stations served as guides these girls kept on their toes giving fixes to straying almond so they could return safely to swimming meets like this calm the hip porch we tried to be our shoppers for general Doolittle's visits his speeches would never dull and the one this morning was no exception but it's the team the town the combat food get posted the glory and rightly so as they accept most of the habit but without the ground crews who serviced the plane without the staff who planned the mission without the many jobs that you go do well the combat crews would not be able to effectively deliver their loads of tom I want to thank you what you have done and what you will continue to do as members of the team that is a fair for while general Doolittle paid this tribute to the waxing back in the states general Arnold talked to another group of women frankly I didn't know in 1941 whether a slip of a girl quite the controls of the b-17 heavy weather that they all work encountered an operational those of us wasn't flying for 20 or 30 years do the flying an airplane was something that you do not learn overnight but miss Cochran said that carefully selected young women could be trained to fly our combat type flames here was general Arnold addressing us at graduation and only six months ago we were green recruits arriving at avinger field Texas soon we were hard at it from 6am of sundown we ranged in age from 21 to 35 but no concessions were asked or given either on the field or in the classroom where we studied engines visit codes and Napoli each of us had to have 35 hours in the air to qualify for the course but still the traditional ducking follow each successful official solo so don't feel too sorry for that apparently unsuspecting gal they're ganging up on she's been looking forward to this bell for a long while in the link trainer we practice flying under simulated instrument conditions after all we wouldn't have been here if we didn't love to fly so when it came to the real thing I doubt if you could have found an eager a bunch of beavers from the Women's Air Force service pilot though walk our final objectives were never lost sight on police training flights to be capable of relieving male pilots of non combat flying duties are maintaining a safety record comprable than any compiled by air and not we ever forgot to bring our most important tools only one head will now remain before graduation we crammed hard for the final exam and now we were ready we will run again look upon a woman flying organization at experimental we will know that they can handle or fastest players our heaviest song we will know that their cables like all types and and a few moments will be proudly feeding our wings gentle are rushing out to get Jacqueline concur in its autograph throwing pennies into the wind which set off for our new post equipped to discharge any duties required and the more than 18 million women who worked in our factories during the war women who for the most part had never worked outside their own homes they filled the industrial gaps left by the men who had been mustered into the fighting forces they performed with distinction numberless jobs requiring precise technical skills and others that took your sweat and grit whatever they did they all knew one thing their jobs were top priority to these women were helping build the greatest air force in the world from the production lines that hungrily absorb their skill and their endless work our fighter squadrons and our bomber wings took flight for the wall overseas yes that is what these peaceful ways recall to these winters but they also recall how much the life and security of our nation depended on the strength of air power during the long days of war these women have the unforgettable memory of what it means to fight a modern war they want no more they want no more interference with the daily pursuits of life full hearted support and encouragement by the American people can make their power an unsurpassed weapon of Defense with understanding and support our future in the air age will be assured the air wax the flight nurses the wasps and women out of uniform who lets their skills to airpower have that understanding to the ladies god bless you